Shadow of the Inquisitors
by Fritz Baugh
Summary: The Ghostbusters are contacted by the mysterious Nodus to undertake a lucrative errand in Transylavania. Is Baron Vashnivski really a vampire? And what is the agenda of the bewitching woman called Lady Enlightenment?
1. Chapter 1

**Shadow Of The Inquisitors  
Part One**

By Fritz Baugh  
From a story idea by OgreBBQ and Fritz Baugh  
GBI Case File GBNY-1991-9/271

* * *

_Legal Stuff that's Boring Unless You're Louis Tully..._

**Ghostbusters** is©1984 Columbia Pictures. **Ghostbusters 2** is ©1989 Columbia Pictures **The Real Ghostbusters** is ©1986 Columbia Pictures Television and DiC Productions. No use of characters and images associated with the above is intended for profit, or to challenge the copyrights of the above holders. The Inquisitors and Baron Vashnivski © OgreBBQ; Chiron, Nodus, and Lydia Van Horn © Fritz Baugh

* * *

**A charter airline approaching Romania**

* * *

"Since our hostess is in the bathroom..." Raymond F. Stantz, Ph.D, a pudgy man with auburn hair and wide brown eyes, said to his three colleagues, glancing toward the bathroom. "Anybody else get a really wierd vibe about this whole thing?"

"Ray, I keep telling you, there's nothing wrong here..." Peter C. Venkman, Ph.D responded, glancing over at the restroom himself. Venkman was a handsome man with slightly boyish features, green eyes, and brown hair. "Wonder if she wants some company..."

The large man of African ancestry sitting next to him, Winston Zeddemore, smacked Venkman in the arm. "Be sure that goes in the report next time Dana calls the firehouse...you're just dazzled by her blue eyes, blonde hair, and well-rounded...personality."

"Heh heh...and you noticing those too will be mentioned to a certain museum curator. Hey, y'know Doctor Vee likes all types, blonde, brunette, everything but redheads--I haven't been able to stand those for the last eight years..." with that Venkman threw a mischeivous smirk at the direction of the last member of the group.

Egon Spengler, PhD, had certainly heard the remark and knew it was intended to incite a reaction. But the tall, blond man was was determined not to give Venkman the satisfaction of one, and continued to peruse the stack of books he'd been passing time with the whole trip. His blue eyes didn't move from the book even as he adjusted his red-rimmed glasses.

"Didn't work, Pete..." Winston chuckled.

"He's just pissed off because this guy paid for the flight and he didn't get the chance to fly half across the world in the ECTO-4..." Venkman retorted, taking another swig of the wine that had been provided them.

The door to the bathroom opened and the "hostess" Ray had mentioned reemerged. She was indeed, blonde, and quite attractive, and dressed in a conservative business suit that couldn't completely hide the fact that she had a some very...desirable curves to her body. Especially not to a trained eye like Peter Venkman's...

* * *

**Ghostbusters Central  
A few days before**

* * *

Janine Melnitz was at her desk, arguing with a dissatisfied client over the phone. "Hey, look, I told you--I'm sorry your poodle can no longer 'perform', but you signed a waiver--and you shouldn't be breeding those dogs anyway if you're just gonna give'em those butt-ass ugly haircuts..." Her face turned almost as red as her hair with whatever the client said next. "Yeah!?! Same to you, asshole!!!" And then let the fellow know on no uncertain terms that she thought he apparently liked to have intimate relations with barnyard animals.

She slammed the phone down and took her green-rimmed, triangular eyeglasses off, dropping them to the desk in frustration. "I swear if I get one more moron calling me today..."

"Excuse me? This is the Ghostbusters?" a voice broke in. It belonged to a blonde woman in a business suit.

"Yes...it is. May we help you?"

Peter Venkman promptly materialized and put his arm around the woman. "I'm Peter Venkman...Doctor Peter Venkman...and how may we help you?"

_Adonai, here we go again..._ Janine thought to herself, rolling her eyes...

"My name is Lydia Van Horn , Doctor Venkman. And I have been told that I can offer Ghostbusters Inc. a very lucrative fee for a service rendered."

"You got a ghost?" Venkman smirked, having enough decorum to not say _or do you just want me to father your children for you?_...though not enought to not think it.

"My employer has instructed me to present the proposal to all four of the Ghostbusters at once..." Lydia said firmly, gently removing Venkman's arm from her shoulder.

"Janine...get the others down here, would you?"

"Sure, Doctor Venkman, no problem." She turned to the firepole and shouted throught the access port "RAY!!! WINSTON!!! EEEEGON!!! WE GOT A CLIENT!!!"

Venkman shook his head, and gave Lydia a sheepish grin. "She was raised in Brooklyn--what can you do?"

Ray arrived first, coming down the fire pole in full hot-scramble mode. Winston and Egon made a more leisurely descent down the staircase.

After a round of introductions, the woman opened the briefcase she was carrying, and pulled out a check. "This is a check for two and a half million dollars. Made out to Ghostbusters Inc."

Four sets of jaws dropped. And even Egon's eyebrow shot up.

"This will be given to you immediately, should you choose to accept the contract. Another check for the same amount will be given to you upon the completion of the task my employer has in mind for you."

Venkman, his mind addled by both hormones and greed, was practically drooling. Winston reached out to restrain him. Egon was far less shell-shocked by the offer. "I'm afraid we can't give you an answer without more information--you haven't even told us who your employer is nor the nature of the...'task' he wants to contract us for."

"Does it matter!?!?" Venkman broke in. "We're talking _five million bucks_ here, Spengs. I'd go hand to hand with the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man for five million bucks!!!"

"Some fair questions, Doctor Spengler--my employer expected you to respond like that. Here is the situation: I represent Josiah Nodus, the President and CEO of Nodus International. You may have heard of it?"

Ray started to talk, then looked at Janine and Egon for a second. "Um, yeah..." he said, looking back at Lydia. "They bought out all of the assets, contracts, and patents from Grossjuck Industries...they even own Grossjuck Plaza off 40th Street..."

Janine groaned audibly, as mention of Grossjuck brought to mind the second largest embarrassment of her romantic life--the former CEO of Grossjuck, Paul Smart, had wined and dined her for a chance to get into GB Central and steal confidential information on Ghostbuster technology, to the end of creating a robot Ghostbuster to drive them out of business.

"So is that what this concerns?" Egon asked, eyes narrowing. "This...Nodus wants to get into the business now?"

"If so take it and shove it, Lady." Winston said simply and firmly.

"Nothing of the sort, Mister Zeddemore, I assure you. Nodus is bound by the same court orders against utilizing equipment derived from stolen patents as Grossjuck was." Van Horn said with practiced ease--she had undoubteldy been expecting that issue to be raised.

"Mister Nodus is interested in expanding his activities, and has approached several companies in Asia and Europe with the goal of entering into distribution contracts. One company of interest to him is the Vashnivski group in Romania--but the company owner, one Baron Igor Vashnivski, refuses to communicate with him. Mister Nodus has thus authorized me to go to Romania to deliver a proposal to Baron Vashnivski in person. He wants to hire the four of you to accompany me."

The five Ghostbusters looked at each other. "I still got a question about all of this, though..." Ray said first. "Why does he want the Ghostbusters to provide bodyguard service to one of his employees? It doesn't make any sense--unless there's something else you're not telling us?"

"Quite correct, Doctor Stantz. You see, to put it simply, Mister Nodus suspects that Baron Vashnivski is a vampire."

"Vampire?" Venkman repeated. "As in Dracula, turn into a bat, I vant to put on a vaiter's outfit and suck your blood bleah bleah vampire?"

"It's not like we haven't dealt with vampires before..." Ray pointed out. "I still have the setting information to make the proton packs simulate sunlight like back in Lupusville..."

"On what does Mister Nodus base his accusation?" Egon queried simply.

"Baron Vashnivski is a notorious recluse. There are no accounts of him ever attending a meeting of the board of his company--he always acts through his proxy. And there is other information that Mister Nodus will provide--once you study it, you will have a greater understanding of his concerns."

"Miss Van Horn, I think my colleagues and I need to discuss this privately for a moment..." Egon said, gesturing toward Venkman's office.

Van Horn signalled her assent, and the five went back there to confer.

"Five. Million. Bucks." Venkman said simply. "And what are the chances the guy is really a vampire, anyway?"

"We have to consider the possibility that Miss Van Horn's suspicions are correct." Egon countered.

"Then we'll deal with it when we get there." Venkman responded.

"I don't like this..." Winston said. "But if this guy really is a vampire, well, we know that they can be bad news...not just for us, for everyone."

"Egon, if you want to go then go..." Janine said, looking into his eyes. "I know you can't pass up a mystery like this. And things will be fine here--I can call the Crime Patrol, one of the franchises, or even Louis in a pinch if we run into any problem here."

"You're just sucking up because you know Egon could buy you a really nice birthday present with his share..." Venkman smirked mischievously. Janine elbowed him in the gut.

"It sounds like it's decided then!!!" Ray said excitedly. Ray getting excited always worried Venkman.

* * *

**Bucharest Airport**

* * *

The Ghostbusters and Lydia Van Horn were in a limo now, enroute to the mysterious Castle Vashnivski.

"Nodus makes a strong, if circumstantial, case on the matter..." Egon admitted, having spent the plane trip over reviewing the information Josiah Nodus provided. "The Vashnivski family has owned the castle for over eight hundred years, when the first Baron Igor Vashnivski built it, as one of the chroniclers put it metaphorically, 'out of the bones of his enemies'."

"Vigo probably read bedtime stories about this guy, and got inspired." Ray commented.

"Him and of course Vlad Tepes, the Impaler..." Egon added.

"Oh, yeah...we are awful close to Viggy's old stomping grounds...that weird you out any, Ray?"

"No. Why should it?"

"You only got posessed by the guy..."

"For thirty whole seconds..." Ray replied, rolling his eyes.

"The name Igor appears very common in the geneology...and several portraits of the barons do have a conspicuous resemblance..."

"But that doesn't mean anything necessarily either, does it?" Winston asked. "Like look how much Egon looks like Eli Spengler from the Seventeenth Century..."

"Precisely. So that, in itself, proves nothing. Remember that all of the evidence is sketchy and circumstantial--easily explained by mundane means..."

"Yeah, but also don't forget Ockham's Razor." Venkman retorted. "Simplest explaination: the guy tanks up on blood and gets along vith the children of de night..."

After several hours on the road, the forbidding expanse of Castle Vashnivski appeared before them.

The castle was, frankly, every bit the stereotype vampire castle. Gothic in style, darkened, with craggy paraphets and stone gargoyles casting an ominous gaze over the keep.

"This place wouldn't just scare Steven King, it'd make him crap his pants..."Venkman quipped.

"And just think--tomorrow morning, we get to go there..." Winston whistled, sounding just a tad daunted about it.

"At least it'll be daylight." Venkman nodded. "Less chance of having my plasma withdrawn..."

The car drove to the nearby town of Vashniv, again something of the typical Eastern European village. The four Ghostbusters and Miss Van Horn checked into a somewhat quaint--but more than comfortable--hotel.

"Y'know, if they're short a room for us I can always bunk with Lydia..." Venkman offered helpfully.

"Mister Nodus has seen to the arrangements. There are five rooms available." Lydia responded, rolling her eyes.

* * *

Winston was in Egon's room as the taller man opened his suitcases, taking out a familiar blue and pink flightsuit with the name "SPENGLER" sewn to the chest patch. "You get any reading from that castle?" he asked.

Egon pulled out his PKE meter. "The background PK level in this area is much higher than normal...not 'Big Twinkie' levels..." he said as he noticed a box of said treats, sporting a Post-it note inscribed with a smiley face, some hearts, and the letter "J". "But high enough that I cannot say with any certainty, from the distance we passed the castle, that there is any paranormal activity. We shall have to go inside to be sure."

"And that's the plan." Winston nodded as Egon unstowed his proton pack. "So Pete and Ray checked in?"

"I believe so...Peter said he was going to, um, case the bars..." Egon replied, rolling his eyes. "I asked Ray to go along to chaperone."

* * *

Venkman was in the hotel bar when he heard something that he didn't expect--an unfamiliar voice speaking English!

"...Better be some decent vodka in this place--I'm in the middle of Eastern Europe for cryin' out loud..."

He looked around and about to find the source of the talk, and saw a man of about Winston's size and build, with black hair and a bushy mustache. The man was wearing a dark shirt and what had to be the gaudiest pair of green and yellow plaid pants he'd ever seen...that somehow, on this man, looked _incredibly cool_

"Wow...cool pants..." Venkman heard Ray agree outloud.

A larger, beefier man--standing a good two inches taller than even Egon--glared at the speaker. They couldn't see much of the man's clothing, as he was wearing a dark trenchcoat, but he had short, buzzcut hair--and an expression of intense disdain. "Do as you will." the man grumbled in a deep voice. "I have no time for this nonsense--I must be ready when it comes time to stalk my prey. See that you are not addled when the time comes." With that, the large man turned and left the bar room. Venkman could swear the temperature rose two degrees when he did.

"There goes a wonderful guy..." the man in the cool pants muttered when the taller dude was safely out of earshot.

"So...you got anything to recommend?" Venkman said, going up the guy at the bar.

"What? Is that real talk I hear?" the man looked up. "Welcome to Transylvania, dude..." He shook Venkman's hand. "Arsene Lupin IV, but my friends call me Barney..."

Ray did a double take. " 'Arsene Lu...' You're kidding!!!"

"Yeah. My real name's Bernard Lupin--ain't related to theives or nothing as far as I know. But the Barney part is right..." With that he shook Ray's hand.

"Pete Venkman. But you may have heard of me..."

"Nope. Can't say I have. Never heard of the Ghostbusters or the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Don't know a thing about Brooklyn being sucked into Hell or the Statue of Liberty takin'a walk though Times Square. So what do you do for a living?"

"Game show host".

"I figured you were the type. So this guy over here must not be Ray Stantz, then?"

"Nope."

"Didn't think so."

Ray looked at the mustachioed man with a jaundiced eye. "But I am Ray Stantz..."

"So what's an American dude with cool pants like yours doing here in the middle of Transylvania? Business or pleasure?"

"Mostly the former. But what about _you?_ This just your idea of a vacation?"

"I'm more of a Tahiti type--and the lady who brought us here isn't accommodating me yet on the 'pleasure' part, so I guess it would have to be business." Venkman looked around furtively. "That character who was with you ain't coming back, is he?"

Barney shook his head. "Nah...this is too much like enjoying himself. Not his thing."

The barmaid came over and gave Barney a vodka. He smiled beautifically, gave her some money, and goosed her. She smacked him.

"Are you sure this guy isn't your long lost brother, Peter?" Ray rolled his eyes.

"With my Dad, anything's possible...but I..." Venkman stopped abruptly. Looking over Ray's shoulder.

"What? " Ray looked around, and knew in an instant what had drawn Venkman's attention. She was of normal height, about five-six, and her dark brown hair spilled over a red band circling her brow; a dark blue cloak covered a loose burgandy dress that went down to below her knees. She wore short boots that matched the dress color, while her tights matched the cloak, as did the pack slung over her right shoulder and hanging at her left hip.

Ray Stantz generally avoided staring at women--they never started back at him anyway, either getting snared in Venkman's web or developing one-sided fixations on Egon, but he allowed himself a few seconds more...her features were small and refined, almost elfin...he found the brooch she wore interesting, apparently gold, and engraved with a symbol that resembled a backwards capitol "P".

He found her eyes even more interesting--deep and blue. Hinting at hidden depth and mystery...it reminded him vaguely of the intensity in Egon's eyes, but with greater warmth.

He realized he was starting to blush badly, and looked away.

Beside the woman, almost unnoticed, was a small teenage girl with very wide eyes and light brown hair gathered into two ponytails. She wore a green vest and pleated skirt, and she also wore a cloak. She looked very very nervous and uncomfortable.

Venkman, in typical Venkman fashion, had virtually teleported over to the woman, and had put his arm around her shoulders. "Guten Tag, Fraulien, Mine Deutsche is sehr sehr schlecht...Kanst I buy you a drink?"

She removed Venkman's arm. "I speak English quite well, sir. And most of the natives speak a Slavic language more resembling Russian than German, anyway. I'm not thirsty in any case."

She walked over to the bar. "I understand you saw Kalashnikov..."

Barney answered her. Causing Venkman's jaw to drop. "Yeah.." Barney replied. "I'm gonna be glad when this is over with--I can't stand that jerk..."

"We have our orders, Bernard. Unfortunately, he is part of them--he's the expert on our...objective."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it, Lady E..." Barney grumbled, taking a swig of his vodka. "Pull up a chair and get a drink--hey, Lil...what about you?"

The younger girl blushed with embarrassment. "I..I believe I'm too young for that, Mister Lupin..."

"I don't believe we had the honor of meeting properly..." Venkman said, stepping in front of the woman again. "I'm Peter Venkman. Doctor Peter Venkman. The rich and world famous Peter Venkman."

"I am at not at liberty to tell you my true name, Doctor Venkman, but I'm known in some circles as Lady Enlightenment...and I find this turn of events fascinating..."

_Oh yeah...I still got it..._ Venkman smirked to himself. _I wonder how far I'll let her go before I have to tell her I'm engaged..._

"Because if you're Peter Venkman, I have to assume the fellow behind you is Ray Stantz."

Ray suddenly started sweating for some reason he couldn't identify.

"Huh?" Venkman sputtered, completely caught off guard.

"You...are Ray Stantz, correct?" she asked, as she went over to him.

"Um..yeah..."_Why can't I talk???_

She shook his hand. Ray hoped she didn't notice how profusely he was sweating..."It is an honor to meet you, Doctor Stantz."

"It..it is?"

"Doctor, you are only one of the preeminant occultists on the planet. I quite enjoyed the intro you wrote for the 1989 reissue of _Tobin's Spirit Guide_--I'd be fascinated to find out more about your adventures..."

Ray gulped. He was still sweating, still felt his cheeks were hot and blushed, but somehow he was getting used to the sensation. And was starting to kinda like it. "Um...call me Ray...you're interested in the occult?"

"I'm a Ghostbuster too!!! I fought all those primal gods and stuff too!!!" Venkman broke in. She didn't seem to notice.

"Quite interested, Doctor Stantz...you might say a study of the supernatural has been a family concern for quite a long time..."

"Cool..."

Venkman was beginning to feel very slighted. _"Cool" is all he can come up with--and she's talking to him instead of me???_

"Perhaps we can talk about it at greater length...there's a quaint little eatery down the street."

"Don't stay out too late, E..." Barney broke in, a huge smirk on his face. "We have a job to do tomorrow..."

She gave Ray an enigmatic smile. "Perhaps Barney's right...this wouldn't be a good time for that--how long will you be here?"

"Yeah, I still got jet lag anyway..." Ray responded, feeling relieved and strangely...disappointed at the same time. "We should be here a few days."

"Another time, then...a pleasure to meet you Ray. And you also, Doctor Venkman..." she turned to her younger companion. "Lilly, I'm going back to my room--are you staying here?"

Lilly looked around, and blushed. "I think...I had better do likewise, Milady..." She curtsied to Ray and Venkman. "I enjoyed meeting you both." With that, the two women left.

Venkman grabbed Ray and began to noogie him vigorously. "I thought we had a deal!!! I get the chicks, you do the science stuff!!! She was totally totally ignoring Doctor V!!! That is improper!!! I'm used to this from Egon, but not you!!!"

"Ow!!! You're reading too much into it, Peter!!! She said she was an occultist--I'm an occultist, you're a parapsychologist--she maybe just thought our interests would mesh better!!!"

"Or somethin'..." Barney chuckled. "Hey, chin up, Pete...I think Lilly liked you..."

"Lilly is like what, thirteen???" Venkman sputtered. "Ray, she only asked you out to dinner...This just isn't fair..."

* * *

To Be Continued

* * *

#3271-110203u  
019 


	2. Chapter 2

**Shadow Of The Inquisitors  
Part Two**

By Fritz Baugh  
From a story idea by OgreBBQ and Fritz Baugh  
GBI Case File GBNY-1991-9/271

* * *

_Previously_

The Ghostbusters have gone to Romania at the request of Josiah Nodus, the man who bought out Grossjuck Industries, to guard his emissary Lydia Van Horn, as she makes a business proposal to Baron Igor Vashnivski--because Nodus suspects that Vashnivski may be a vampire!  
Upon arrival in Romania, the Ghostbusters encounter three more Americans: the jovial Barney Lupin, the nervous young Lilly, and the bewitching Lady Enlightenment, who seems quite interested in Ray...

* * *

**The Next Day**

* * *

"What the hell did you do to Venkman to get him so quiet?" Winston asked Ray. "Whatever it is, keep it up..."

Venkman, still sulking, didn't give Winston the satisfaction of a spoken response. But he did scratch his forehead with his middle finger.

It took about an hour's drive from the village to reach the castle...it looked only slightly less menacing in broad daylight than it did in the twilight the previous day.

The car parked and Lydia gave some brief instructions to the chauffeur. With that, the Ghostbusters unloaded the trunk--including the bulky packages that held their proton packs. Ray had modified them to fire the sunlight-simulating beams they'd used once before...

As they approached the front door, the shadows started to fall over them. Even in the morning light, this part of the castle was dark. "Egon?" Winston asked the tall physicist.

"There is definitely an elevated PK level in the area..." Egon responded, turning one of the knobs on his PKE meter. "But I still can't get much of a specific reading"

The four Ghostbusters and Lydia went over to the door, where the door knocker was mounted below a sytlized crest with a "B" motif. "The family crest..." Egon confirmed." 'B' is the Cyrillic equivalent of 'V"...for Vashnivski."

"If it makes a scream when we knock it, I'm running back to the car." Venkman deadpanned.

Just as Ray reached toward the knocker, the door started to creak open. Venkman instinctively edged in front of Lydia.

It took a few seconds for something to appear out of the darkness. A short man (only about five feet tall) with dark, curly hair, a straggly, curly beard (but no mustache), and black clothes that blended into the darkness, revealing nothing of their cut. Only a small gold medallion could be seen, with a small engraved design resembling a poining arrow.

"Um...good evening Sir, my name is Ray Stantz and..."

"You aren't Jehovahs' Witnesses, are you?" the little man said, in a voice that reminded Venkman of nothing more than RiffRaff from the _Rocky Horror Picture Show_

"Um...no..." Ray answered, hestantly.

"Good. The Lord of the Manor hates Jehovah's witnesses. You aren't...Amway salesmen, are you?"

"Um..no."

"Good. The Lord of the Manor hates Amway salesmen. You aren't selling Girl Scout Cookies, are you?"

"Nope! That either!!!" Ray responded, a little more confident now.

"Oh. Too bad. The Lord of the Manor simply adores Thin Mints..." the little man responded. With that, he opened the door wider, gesturing for them to enter.

"In the name of the Lord of the Manor, Baron Igor Vashnivski, I bid you welcome..." the little man said pleasantly.

"Lydia Van Horn, from Nodus International. Would it be possible for me to speak to his Lordship? My employer has a very mutually beneficial proposition to offer him Mister, erm..."

"I'm nobody of any significance, Miss Van Horn. Call me Chiron, if you must give me a name..."

"Chiron? Like the centaur in Greek mythology?" Ray asked.

"Yes...that is correct...not often I encounter somebody who gets that reference..." With that, the man emitted a strange little chuckle. "If you will excuse me for a few moments...I must inform Lord Vashnivski that he has company..."

"Go right ahead, Riff..." Venkman answered, provoking Winston's elbow to impact on his gut.

As soon as Chiron was out of their sight, Egon promptly produced his PKE meter. He switched it on...and was just as promptly rewarded with an angry sequence of beeps, pops, and fizzes--Egon dropped it just in time as it destroyed itself in a small explosion of metal and wire.

"I'm going to venture the opinion that that is Not Good." Venkman deadpanned.

"Indeed." Egon replied simply.

Lydia looked at them. "Could someone just explain what you mean by that?"

"The PKE meter is sorta, well, our ghost detector. It picks up the energy ghosts and other supernatural entities run on." Ray explained. "If it's overloaded and burnt out like that, that means there's a hell of a lot of energy in the area..."

"Vashnivski." she intoned simply.

"Not necessarily." Egon corrected. "But it is safe to say that there is some powerful, and thus dangerous, supernatural force in the vicinity. And futhermore, we've lost our most reliable means to identifying it. We must be careful."

Chiron reappeared. "Lord Vashnivski will not be able to see you promptly, and for that he apologizes. It will not be until this evening that his schedule will be clear--he invites you to stay for dinner, and will be able to entertain your proposals afterwards. You are free to remain at Castle Vashivski until that time--or return to your own lodgings until that time, if you prefer."

"After sunset...great...allays my suspicions a whole lot..." Venkman whispered to his companions.

"Peter..." Ray said sternly.

"The limo driver can return as soon as I call him, but it will take time..." Lydia pointed out.

Egon turned to Chiron. "It appears we will be staying, Mister Chiron."

"Oh, good." Chiron responded, the faintest smile coming onto his strange mouth. "I will prepare rooms for you should you need their services, and you are free to wander about the castle. Except for the basement. Go there and you will be killed."

"Is that a threat?" Ray said, his hackles raised. He was pretty pliable in ways, but being told directly what to do always angered him.

"I did not say that _I_ would kill you." Chiron returned simply. "This way..."

The four Ghostbusters and their companion shrugged and followed.

* * *

**New York City**

* * *

Janine frowned reflexively as she looked up at the building once known as Grossjuck Plaza. She'd visited the place twice before, neither time creating happy memories...

It was 1986, a few months before the Ghostbusters ended up being forced out of business...her sister Doris had gotten a job at Grossjuck and somehow ended up mentioning Janine to her boss, CEO Paul Smart. Smart asked to meet her over lunch. Janine was understandably reluctant, but a voice she trusted at the time...to her everlasting regret...egged her on _You become more beautiful every day, my Dear..._ the thing told her. _What better way to prove your growing allure than by meeting with this man?_

As it turned out, Smart wasn't interested in either her mind, her heart, or even her body--he wanted access to Ghostbusters Central. He serruptitiously photographed the plans for patented Ghostbusters equipment and then dropped off the face of the Earth for weeks--only calling to unviel his scheme to drive the Ghostbusters out of business, RoboBuster X-1.

The first time she went to the building to confront Smart, and he'd ordered his automaton to destroy the Ghostbusters mascot, Slimer. The second time, the five Ghostbusters went to, ironically enough, save Smart from the maelstrom entity created from RoboBuster's ionizing blasters...they defeated the maelstrom, embarrassed Smart, and got Slimer back in the process.

But she hated this reminder of the second largest embarrassment in her romantic history.

Especially as sitting next to her was Louis Bartholomew Tully. The _first_ largest embarrassment in her romantic history.

The cab pulled up to Nodus Plaza, and the two got out--Janine opened her door and exited quickly before Tully could make any clumsy attempt to open it for her.

"You have all the paperwork, Louis?" she asked him curtly. She was dressed in her most professional looking ensemble--a cream colored suit with jacket and knee-length skirt over a yellow blouse

"Um...yeah...all the forms and the releases and everything you told me to bring..." he droned in response. Dressed in his usual brown pants and sport coat over a blue shirt, sporting a yellow bow tie, he tried not to stare at her...because to him she looked absolutely stunning.

They went into the lobby. "I'm Janine Melnitz and this is Louis Tully. We're with Ghostbusters International and we need to meet with Mister Nodus."

The blonde girl at the desk gulped, and reached for her phone--it rang before she could grab it. "Send them up" came the voice at the other end of the line. The voice of her boss.

She pointed toward the elevator. "Mister Nodus...apparently knows you are here..."

Janine's eyes narrowed.

* * *

The door opened of it's own accord to let Janine and Louis into the office. _The same office Paul Smart used_...Janine thought to herself ruefully, wanting nothing more than to run from this room and Louis...but she knew she couldn't.

_Egon's counting on me...and that makes it all worth it._

Egon had asked her before he'd left..._"Investigate Nodus...I admit there's something about all of this that I can only describe...as a bad feeling..."_

The chair at the large oak desk turned to face them, and Josiah Nodus stood to greet them. "Miss Melnitz...Mister...Tully, I believe? An unexpected pleasure to meet you, but a pleasure nonetheless. I am Josiah Nodus--welcome to my office."

When Nodus shook her hand, Janine could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

He was tall, almost the same height as Egon, with slicked back dark hair and handsome features (not quite Spengler handsome, in her eyes, but presentable nonetheless) capped off with a goatee and mustache. His business suit was black, and quite expensive. He had deep blue eyes that seemed to take in everything in the room...eyes that couldn't help but remind her of Egon's every so slightly...

Especially the way they were looking at her like some sort of amusing lab specimen. The same way Egon had looked at her at first.

She shook her head angrily. _I cannot be having this reaction...I'm in Paul f---ing Smart's office...I'm standing here with Louis f---ing Tully...that's gotta be why my skin is crawling..._

Nodus noticed. "A problem Miss Melnitz?" His voice was deep and rather melodic.

"No..." she replied, with just a tad too much force.

"Then how may I help you? Have you heard something from your comrades in Romania?"

"Um, well, no..." Louis answered. Far from the sharpest tool in the shed, he nevertheless sensed now would be a good opportunity to speak up. Janine seemed to be a bit unnerved. "We just brought over some standard forms we thought we needed to discuss with you personally you see we don't deal with big companies very much and the money amounts were causing some questions from the bank and..."

"Whatever I can do for you, Mister Tully." Nodus replied simply.

Janine sat quietly as Louis pelted him with questions and paperwork. Nodus answered every question expediently, and what he didn't sign immediately he kept to have his own accountants look over. "No problem we have copies of all of it..."

"Excellent. If that is the last of it...Miss Melnitz, you've been awfully quiet, over there..."

She looked up with an angry start, and surpressed the sarcastic answer her instincts threw to her lips. "This is all Louis's area, Mister Nodus. I'm here because I've worked for the company a lot longer than him..."

"Not curious about anything else?"

"Why would I be?"

"I'm aware that your employers were direct competitors to Grossjuck for a time. Curiousity would be a natural reaction." He arched an eyebrow, as though to suggest something he was not putting into words.

"We're done here, aren't we Louis." she replied. It wasn't a question.

"Um, okay but if anything else comes up we'll let you know and try to get back to us about the papers we left and be sure to call if you have any questions the number is 555-2020 and..." with that, she physically grabbed Louis and drug him out of the room.

* * *

_Intriguing..._ Nodus thought to himself. _It seems I have provoked a reaction...I suppose that is to be expected..._

* * *

"You okay Janine?" Louis asked, working up his nerve. "You seemed a little out of it back there..."

"Something about that guy is giving me the major league creeps, Louis." she admitted.

"Um...wanna go talk about it over coffee or something? I know a great place near here and..."

She just held up her hand to cut him off. "Do whatever the hell you want, Louis. I'm going back to HQ. I gotta call Egon..."

He snarled inside as she turned away. _Egon...it's always gonna be Egon isn't it? (sigh)_

* * *

**Castle Vashnivski **

* * *

Ray Stantz walked down the corridor...he was near the basement of the castle (wanting to get as close as he could without actually breaking Chiron's commandment) when he heard a noise; out of the corner of his eye, there was a flicker of light...

He hugged the wall and crept along toward where it came from slowly...stealth was not something he was good at, being a pudgy man, but he'd learned some tricks over the years from Winston.

He realized he heard something scratching...and a loud sigh.

_It's coming from this room over here..._ He suddenly wished he'd had time to go upstairs and grab his proton pack. _What if there really are vampires in this place?_ He clutched the vial of holy water he'd thought to bring with him just in case, and peeked around the entryway to the room.

The scratching came from the dragging of a chalk over the floor of the room...a circle design was on the floor, with other apparently random marks around it. Random to anyone who hadn't studied occult lore as long as he had, anyway..._A circle?_ he thought to himself in amazement and horror. He and Egon had picked up a few mystic circle tricks over the years--Egon had even used one once to confine the witch spirit Genevra--so Ray knew a real circle when he saw one.

The figure drawing it was slight, but in the darkness that was about all he could make out. He was wearing a hood over his face, and a long cloak...Ray couldn't even make out colors.

The artist turned suddenly. Ray hid back behind the door jamb. After fifteen seconds, the scratching resumed. _Whew...guess he didn't see me..._

Ray waited for a few more seconds before looking again. The artist continued to draw for another minute. He stood to observe his handiwork. Ray leaned in closer to try and discern the intent of the circle...

And suddenly his world exploded in pain and light.

He had no idea how long he was incapacitated--perhaps only a few seconds--but the next thing he knew the figure drawing the circle had him pinned to the ground, their right hand raised in the air and glowing with angry light. "I don't know how you found me but..." the voice..a female voice..trailed off, and inhaled deeply.

Ray had seen enough magic in his time to see that he was in trouble. Deciding that the best defense was a good offense, he took advantage of the person...the woman's?...momentary hesitation to headbutt her, grab her right wrist with his left hand--pinning it away from him--and rear up to reverse the sitution from a moment ago. "Look, I don't know who you think I am, but..." it was his turn to have his voice trail off as he jerked her hood off...

And the face of Lady Enlightenment looked back at him.

"Doctor St...Ray? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing!"

Just then, as the winds of luck would have it, Peter Venkman passed by the room. To see his old friend straddling the hot lady they'd met at the bar last night. Venkman's face lit up like a Christmas tree. Cheshire grin in place, he walked over to Ray, pulled something from his pocket, and handed it to him. It was a small foil package, and inside it was a flat round object about the size of a half dollar.

"Glad to see that, unlike our physicist friend, I don't have to draw you a diagram. But use this, Tex--never hurts to be careful."

Ray's face turned as red as Janine's hair. "Peter!!! This isn't what you're thinking!!!"

Venkman just replied "Yeah. Right." With that, he high-fived Ray and strutted off. "Don't worry--Spengs and Zedd won't hear it from me..."

"PETER!!!" Ray screamed at his friend.

Lady Enlightenment took the opportunity to shrug Ray off of her. Ray didn't resist.

"What...what's going on here? What's that circle all about..."

She turned back to him, a look of surprise--albeit a strangely pleased surprise--on her face "I wish I could tell you, Ray. I know you would probably understand--but I'm prohibited..." She never explained further--there was another flash of light, and when Ray recovered his senses he was in the room alone.

* * *

Egon was on the phone with Janine when Venkman strode into the room, looking like he'd just won the lottery. He didn't think much of it, though--Janine was clearly upset about her meeting with Nodus. At least...it seemed clear to _him_...even if she'd denied it twice.

Winston cocked an eyebrow. "He musta bagged one of the chambermaids..." he sighed, with resigned disapproval. _Dana doesn't get into New York nearly enough..._

"I'll pass it along to the others, Janine. I hope we can get this business done soon." He paused as she said a few things more, bringing something as close to a smile as his face usually got. "And I you. I look forward to returning to...home."

_"Returning to you" is what you wanted to say, Homeboy...You should have._ Winston grinned. He still needed to place a call with his girlfriend.

"I'm not sure I like that look on your face, Peter."

"Egon, Buddy, oldest pal I have, I swear to whatever deity you want me to I have behaved in a perfectly honorable fashion the whole day."

"I believe that about as far as I coulda threw Mee-Krah with one hand..." Winston retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Oh ye of little faith." Venkman smirked. "I mean, sure, I thought about seeing if Lydia was taking a bubble bath or something but thought better of it. But anyway...nope. Not me. I'm staying out of trouble. Ray...now that boy we gotta watch."

Egon and Winston looked at each other. "Right." they responded in unison.

* * *

She cast one last furtive glance at the door, and made a last mark, completing the design. She uttered a few words, and the chalk design glowed.

Spent, the circle vanished. In it's place was the same tall, intense man Venkman had seen talking with Barney Lupin the day before. He looked around the room, made an approving grunt, and strode to the door.

"You're welcome." Lady Enlightenment deadpanned as he passed her.

"You did what was expected of you. I see no reason for pleasantries." the man responded in a harsh voice.

"Then by all means, Kalashnikov, let's just get this whole mission accomplished."

"You have verified?"

"Not certain until I meet with the Baron."

"That will happen soon. It is almost time for Portenza and the others to arrive." He walked off briskly. "I expect you to continue to perform your duties."

She muttered a rather vile Latin curse as he left.

* * *

"Janine confirms some of my suspicions about Nodus..." Egon was telling Venkman and Winston, occassionally snapping his fingers under the former's nose to keep his attention. "He has degrees in several sciences and in business management, but no financial records before six months ago, when he burst into the stock scene with a run of incredible luck. He used his earnings to form the Nodus company and bought out the husk of Grossjuck Industries. But as of yet, she's been unable to find out anything about his relatives, or when he was born."

"A lot of businessmen prize their privacy." Winston offered.

"Yeah, and so does my Dad." Venkman counteroffered.

"I agree that there is nothing incriminating...but..." Egon was interrupted when Ray, flustered and red-faced, ran into the room.

Venkman got up from the couch with a neutral expression on his face. "Ray, Ray, Ray...I can't believe you came back so soon...I hope she wasn't too disappointed..."

Ray looked ready to shake him. "Peter, I told you that was not what you thought it was!!!"

Egon and Winston looked at each other.

Chiron appeared. "Gentlemen...Lord Vashnivski requests your appearance at the dining hall in one hour. It appears we have other company arriving as well..." Chiron bowed and left.

" 'Other company'?" Winston asked.

Ray's eyes went wider. "I wonder if he knows about..."

"Knows about what, Ray?" Egon asked.

Venkman started to grin again. Ray gulped hard.

* * *

Lydia sighed as she reclined in the bath. Chiron had knocked at her door only a moment ago to remind her it was only an hour until the dinner, and she knew she really had to get out of the bath and get ready.

The strange little man had offered earlier in the day to have any of their needs met...and Lydia had offhandedly mentioned that she hadn't had a proper bath since she'd left New York. Upon returning to her room, she'd found one ready for her...warm, bubbly, inviting...with an exotic scent that just seemed to fill the air with bliss...

After spending a little bit of time being afraid that that Venkman fellow was going to spy on her, she gave in. _He is kind of charming, granted...but I don't think I could stand that for very long...Mister Zeddemore is studly enough, but I'm afraid I never really found myself drawn to men of other races. No problem with those who do, that's just not me. Now Dr. Spengler...Egon...there's a guy I wouldn't mind sharing this bath with...too bad he already has a girlfriend..._

She stuck her left leg into the air, looking at the soapy bubbles on it. _Maybe just five more minutes..._ she told herself.

Then she heard a sound.

She snapped her head around to find a tall, severe looking man in a dark trenchcoat standing by her door. "Damn..." he muttered as he pulled out a pistol. "Scream and I blow your head off." he said simply. Lydia noticed the pistol had a silencer on it--not even the gunshots would draw any attention.

The man looked around the room, seemingly unaffected by the fact that the woman sharing the room with him was not unattractive and completely nude save a layer of foamy bubbles.

"Wrong turn." he muttered with frustration. "Nobody told me the Baron had other guests..." he pointed the pistol at her again.

"You, Sir, are an intruder in the Manor." the voice of Chiron broke in. "And an inordinately rude one at that, accosting a lady in the bath."

Before the gunman knew what happened, he was hurled half across the room, away from the naked woman in the tub, crashing into a dresser set. But the gunman recovered quickly, springing to his feet and...

pyeeew pyeew pyeew

Three silenced rounds struck Chiron dead on. The little man was hurled back, landing in the bathtub.

At this point, Lydia Van Horn screamed her lungs out.

* * *

Ray had just told the others about the appearance of Lady Enlightenment when they heard the scream.

"Lydia!" Venkman shouted, and the foursome ran toward her room

* * *

To Lydia's amazement, Chiron pulled himself out of the tub under his own power. There was blood swirling about, but he was clearly in far better shape than a man should be after taking three rounds to the chest. _He must have on some sort of bulletproof vest..._ she thought, her mind racing. _Or..or there really are vampires here...and he's..._

Wherever the intruder was, he was no longer here.

There were loud knocks at the door. "Lydia!!!" Venkman's loud voice came through. Chiron shrugged, grabbed a bath towel, and tossed it to Lydia. She had her wits enough about her to wrap it around her nakedness before Chiron opened the door.

"Is everything all right in here?" Egon asked sternly.

"Man, this better not be what it looks like..." Winston growled, seeing an upset Lydia fresh from the bath, and Chiron soaking wet...

"There was an intruder." Chiron said simply.

"He had a gun!!!" Lydia shouted, near hysterical. "He was going to shoot me, then Chiron came in and stopped him and..."

"Are you all right?" Ray asked, now noticing that Chiron was bleeding.

"Nothing I cannot recover from--it's not as bad as it looks." Chiron replied with his strange little smile. "I must inform the Lord of the Manor that we have an intruder. Please continue to prepare for dinner--I am assuming that the Lord will not let this unpleasantness upset his plans."

Chiron left, and the Ghostbusters turned to their hostess. "Are you all right, Miss Van Horn?" Egon asked.

"I am unhurt, Doctor Spengler...just a little frightened."

"I think we should give her a full physical examination...OW!!! Winston, you just hit me!!!"

"You had it coming Pete."

Lydia told them what happened. Egon and Ray furrowed their brows when she told them of the possibility that Chiron was a vampire...

"We shall have to consider that possible." Egon allowed. "However, his normal pallor and the fact that his hand, when we shook it, seemed warm, would be anomalous with that conclusion."

"He could always be using a vampiric discipline to make us think he's ruddy and warm...' Ray countered. "The art of Obfuscation or Presence could explain it..."

"I think one of us should stay here and guard Lydia..." Venkman said with just a little too much enthusiasm.

"I agree. Outside her door." Egon clarified, causing Venkman's expression to droop.

They had allowed Venkman to take "first watch"--with half-joking threats to hurt him if they heard Lydia screaming--then the three remaining Ghostbusters conferred among themselves quickly.

"Thing that concerns me is this: if the Baron or Chiron really is a vampire, what keeps them from sucking our blood or turning us into one of them at the dinner? We sure as heck can't go in there strapping our packs..." Winston pointed out.

Ray shivered "Being Embraced is not on my priority list, either...but we have an answer, don't we, Egon?"

Egon simply went to one of his suitcases and opened it. Inside were four small guns looking vaguely like science fiction weapons. "I think this will at least provide us some small protection."

Winston's brow furrowed for a second, then he whistled. "Now I know where I've seen those before...those are some of Doc Hazzard's proton guns..."

Doctor Will Murray Hazzard was an old friend of Egon's maternal grandfather, Frederick Melton, and unbenownst to the world at large leader of a team of "mystery men" back in the 1940's known as The Crime Patrol. Two years ago, the Ghostbusters had been embroiled in a case involving the Crime Patrol's old enemy, Fu Fang, coming back from the dead to scheme against his old enemies.

"It has a very limited payload, approximately a half dozen shots--and they're nowhere near the power of the full pack..." Egon began.

"It was enough to save the Crimson Crimebuster's ass the first time he used one.' Ray pointed out.

"True. And it does keep us from being totally defenseless while being unobtrusive at the same time."

"And they've been calibrated to fire the same mock-sunlight frequency as the packs" Ray added.

"Sweet" Winston said, picking up one of the guns and twirling it like a cowboy. "Wonder why you haven't done more with this idea..."

"The power concern is the main reason." Egon answered. "I've drawn up some concepts based around a plasma core system, but again the firepower and payload suffer greatly compared to the current proton packs..."

"Plus the proton packs are cooler" Ray chuckled.

"I ain't gonna argue with you on that." Winston rolled his eyes, placing the gun back into the suitcase for now. "Now gimme the phone, Egon--I gotta get a call into Kaila before dinner..."

* * *

To Be Concluded

* * *

#3271-110203u  
020 


	3. Chapter 3

**Shadow Of The Inquisitors  
Part Three**

By Fritz Baugh  
From a story idea by OgreBBQ and Fritz Baugh  
GBI Case File GBNY-1991-9/271

* * *

_Previously_

The Ghostbusters have gone to Romania at the request of Josiah Nodus, the man who bought out Grossjuck Industries, to guard his emissary Lydia Van Horn, as she makes a business proposal to Baron Igor Vashnivski--because Nodus suspects that Vashnivski may be a vampire!  
Upon arrival in Romania, the Ghostbusters encounter three more Americans: the jovial Barney Lupin, the nervous young Lilly, and the bewitching Lady Enlightenment, who seems quite interested in Ray...  
At Baron Vashnnivski's mansion, they are met by the odd little man called Chiron, who is more than gracious. But Ray catches Lady Enlightenment using sorcery to bring a severe, heavily armed man into the castle--who later nearly murders Nodus's emissary, Lydia Van Horn, as she takes a bath

* * *

**Ghostbusters Omnibus Timeline Year Nine, 1991 CE  
Castle Vashnivski  
Romania**

* * *

The four Ghostbusters were led to the banquet hall. They were all dressed in their best formalwear (save the fact that Ray's was an uncomfortable shade of green resembling pea soup). Lydia Van Horn was also looking quite stunning, being clad in a formal gown her employer had probably paid quite a penny for. Her hair and makeup was surprisingly elegant considering she'd only had an hour to finish it.

_I wonder how Janine would look in that dress..._ Egon allowed himself to wonder, and a small smile formed at the thought.

Chiron led them to a foursome of people already there. Ray and Venkman looked at each other--they recognized three of them!!!

The Latino man in his fourties they did not recognize. He had short, neat dark hair that was starting to salt and pepper. But the other three they did:

Barney Lupin was standing there in a tux that matched the pants he was wearing the day before--green and yellow. On anyone else, it would've looked incredibly tacky, but on him, it _worked_ somehow.

The young girl they'd seen..."Lilly"... was also there, wearing a frilly pink dress.

But Ray found himself unable to look away from Lady Enlightenment. She was wearing a deep red dress that came over one shoulder, with evening gloves and a necklace bearing the same backwards "p" design as the broach she'd worn earlier.

"Is that..." Winston whispered to Venkman.

"Oh yeah..." Venkman replied, quite impressed himself.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, might I present Ms. Lydia Van Horn, Dr. Egon Spengler, Dr. Raymond Stantz, Mr. Winston Zeddemore, and Dr. Peter Venkman." The four Ghostbusters and Lydia nodded.

"In turn, I present Father Diego Garcia Portenza, Miss Lillian Peacecraft, Ms. Elizabeth Hawthorne, and Mr. Arsene Lupin IV"

_Elizabeth Hawthorne..._ Ray rolled it in his mind, liking the sound of it. _I wonder if that's her real name..._

"Please, call me Liz..." she said, looking straight at Ray. Whether it was because she had concerns about what he'd told the others--or something else--only she knew...

"Hey Pete..." Barney said with a wave. "You here for the buffet too?" He looked at Lydia. "I'm seein' all sorts of things I like here..."

Lydia rolled her eyes. _First Venkman now this guy...it's like I'm being chased by wolves..._

"You're a priest?" Winston asked, shaking Portenza's hand.

"Si, Señor Zeddemore..." Portenza responded, with warmth. "And you are quite famous, I understand..."

"If I can show you all to your seats..." Chiron interrupted gently. _Considering the guy was shot like an hour ago, he's awful chipper..._ Venkman thought to himself. _And just what are these guys doing here, anyway?_

The guests were led to the dining table, and as befit the station of the Manor's owner, it was quite large--it could have easily sat twice over again as many as it was now. Chiron led them each to a seat, apparently in an arrangement determined beforehand. Lydia and Father Portenza were sat next to one end--a larger, more ornate seat that all easily assumed would be occupied by their host. To Venkman's annoyance, he was sat next to Lilly. And Liz right next to Ray.

Barney laid back in his chair and propped his feet on the table. Chiron glared at him.

Lupin grinned mischievously and sat up right.

Egon studied the set up. His brow furrowed. _No silverware. All gold, just like at the Vostok castle..._

Chiron excused himself, leaving the others to talk for a few moments.

"So what brings you here to this charming country?" Father Portenza asked Lydia.

"I am here to offer Lord Vashnivski a lucrative arrangement with Nodus International. More I cannot say until I speak with him...and you?"

"My associates and I have been sent on behalf of the Catholic Church. There is a cathedral nearby that was unfortunately destroyed during the last World War...we are hoping to renovate and restore it, and seek Lord Vashnivski's support in the matter."

"You don't look Catholic to me..." Ray blurted out to Liz.

"I'm not, really. You might say I'm 'work for hire' on this." she replied.

Somehow, Ray knew she was being honest about that.

"Ladies and Gentlemen..." Chiron reappeared. "May I present the Lord of the Manor, Baron Igor Vashnivski."

There was a barely audible rustling of cloth as the Baron entered the room. Dressed in a long, flowing cape, a vest over a shirt with puffed sleeves, and spats, he looked like something from an earlier century.

His hair was long, though gathered back in a tail...befitting his anachronistic look, the cut resembled the powdered wigs worn by nobility in the Eighteenth Century.

His features were narrow, with prominant cheekbones; his eyes were also narrow, but left no mistake that he was well aware of his environment.

His face was very pale.

"Welcome to my humble Manor." he said simply, with strongly accented English.

_My God, if he isn't a vampire he sure _should _be..._ Venkman thought to himself, tightening his collar.

Chiron and the Baron went over to the table, the little man introducing his master first to Lydia. She seemed to blush and stammer a little as he kissed her hand.

Chiron introduced Vashnivski to each guest around the table in turn. Lilly, Ray noticed, appeared to have to keep from wincing as he kissed her hand.

And when Ray shook the Baron's hand, it did not escape his notice that it was cold as ice.

_Just because he's a vampire does not mean he should be instantly destroyed..._ Ray reminded himself. _We've met "good" vampires before..._

After being introduced to everyone, the Baron went to his chair and bade everyone to sit. Chiron snapped his fingers and several maids appeared, bearing the dishes of the evening meal.

"And now..." the Baron said. "It is rare that I get visitors at my castle at all, never mind two parties of them in the same day...To what do I owe this honor?"

"Well, first your Lordship, I can assure you that it is coincidence..." Lydia started, with a weak smile. "I represent Josiah Nodus, President of Nodus International, who is interested in forming a mutually lucrative business alliance with you..."

"And why does he think I would wish to ally with a foriegner?"

"An appropriate question, your Lordship...he wants to offer you the means to make this area the cutting edge of the coming new Europe--as you know, with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the whole Communist Empire, the next decade or so is a period of intense potential."

Ray looked at Liz as Lydia began to make the fuller pitch to the Baron. "What _is_ going on here?"

"I can't tell you, Ray...I told you that earlier..."

Barney looked at Liz. "So, is he..."

Liz and Lilly both nodded. Lilly looked about ready to either hurl or run in terror. "I'm certain now, Bernard. Kalashnikov was right." Liz replied.

"Egon?" Winston asked

"He certainly matched the profiles." Egon said simply. "But without a working meter, I am still not sure."

"And why me?" Vashnivski was asking Lydia.

"You have the resources and prestige to make this idea workable."

"You astound me with your flattery, Miss Van Horn...and I admit, there is much that sounds intriguing.."

With that, Baron Vashnivski nonchalantly gestured with his left hand, picking a crossbow bolt en route to his chest out of thin air.

_What the f---???_ Ray, Winston, and Venkman all thought simultaneously.

Chiron looked off to the rafters of the room, in the far darkened end. "Do you mind? We' re trying to eat over here..."

Vashnivski growled, and snapped the bolt in half. "Anatole, really...did you think I wasn't aware of you the very moment you materialized in my castle?"

Liz looked startled.

"Who's Anatole?" Barney asked Lilly.

There was a loud shout, and the tall, powerful man the Ghostbusters had seen at the bar the night before, and Lydia had seen earlier that day, jumped out of the shadows, a crossbow slung over his shoulder and a Soviet AK-47 now firmly in his grip. "Then I guess I have to do this the old fashioned way..."

"GET DOWN!!!" Winston shouted, shoving Egon down. Chiron positioned himself in front of Lydia as Venkman and Ray both pushed and shielded Lilly and Liz, respectively.

There was an angry bark of fire that Winston knew all too well (he still heard it in his nightmares at times) and the Baron was thrown back to the wall, chair and all, blood spraying everywhere.

"Dear God, what in the hell are you doing???"

"Despite the look of it, Mister Zeddemore..." Portenza responded, a hard edge coming into his voice. "His work."

Kalashnikov hoisted the AK-47 triumphantly. "Wooden bullets. Just like staking."

"That's him!!!" Lydia shouted. "The psycho who tried to kill me in the bathtub!!!"

"Indeed." Chiron confirmed. "I must ask you to leave the premises immediately."

"Don't dictate to me, you freak...your master's gone, now maybe you too..." Kalashnikov aimed the gun at Chiron.

"No!" Lilly shouted. "He's not..."

"I think it may be about time to make a stand, Guys..." Venkman noted, unholstering his proton six shooter. Egon and Winston did likewise, but Ray hesitated--something was just not _right_ about the situation, he agreed, but the one who'd assaulted the woman he was supposed to be guarding was apparently an ally of someone...well...

Dare he admit it?

Someone he found himself very much wanting to trust.

"Lilly's right, Kalashnikov..." Lady Enlightenment said, looking just a little dazed by the violence. "Chiron isn't a vampire. He...well, he's certainly alive."

"I repeat, Anatole. You really should leave. Now."

"You threatening me, little man?"

"Liz..." Ray looked at her. "I think it's time you told us what's going on..."

"Baron Vashnivski is a vampire. Though being a paranormal expert yourself, you probably knew that already."

"We suspected it." Egon admitted.

"We are indeed here on the business of the Church, Doctor Spengler." Father Portenza continued. "We are, you might say, paranormal investigators ourselves. Our duty is to hunt down and destroy unholy evils such as vampires. It appears that Kalashnikov told us the truth about Baron Vashnivski..."

"So you're kind of your own miniature Inquisition then?" Venkman rolled his eyes. "Nobody expects that..."

"This will probably be your last warning." Chiron stated, with surprising intensity. "Leave, or you will probably be killed."

"Are you threatenin' us, Riff?" Barney replied, stepping forward.

"I did not say that I would kill you..." Chiron returned simply.

"Vampire or not, you served that monster..." Kalashnikov snarled, pointed his gun at Chiron. "I think maybe you should be dealt with anyway"

"But he isn't a vampire--you heard your friend...' Winston pointed out.

"She is my ally, not my friend. And as your comely companion could verify, I have no compunctions about murdering the living if it serves my purpose."

Lilly looked at Liz with pleading eyes. _Stop this somehow..._

"Over our dead bodies, Psycho Boy..." Winston snarled, aiming his proton gun.

"Your wish..." Kalashnikov snarled back.

"Anatole, I have completely lost patience with you..." a smooth, angry voice broke in.

All in the room turned to see the impossible.

Baron Igor Vashnivski, his outfit shredded and soaked in blood, was standing over the ruins of his destroyed chair, his eyes glowing an eerie red.

"I have extended you every hospitality. I allowed you to enter my domain. I did not have you hunted down and murdered for accosting my guests--you have the fact that you did not succeed in murdering her, and the words of Chiron to thank for that..."

"Executions always bring the mood down." Chiron snapped dryly.

"But now. You interrupt my dinner. You attempt to assassinate me. This affront is unforgiveable!!!"

"Save your spite, you undead freak!!! How in the hell are you still alive, anyway?"

"You think I would leave my heart where everyone would expect it to be?" With that, the Baron leaped with supernatural speed, ripped the gun from Kalashikov's grip, and threw it to the far corner of the room.

Barney leaped, and as he did he began to grow, distort, and sprout a lot of hair. By the time he grabbed Vashnivski, he had assumed a very canine appearance, his sport coat and shirt shredded--though strangely enough, his tacky green and yellow pants were intact.

"He's...a werewolf?" Lydia asked from her cover.

"Yeah, I guess so. We've encountered werewolves before too--I even dated one for a while" Venkman smirked, winking at her.

Portenza looked at Lady Enlightenment. She shook her head. Lilly looked ready to run. "The aura here is overloading Lilly's senses. But I'll see what I can do..."

"I would counterrecommend further interference." Chiron chipped in. "This is between the Lord of the Manor and his errant descendant."

"Descendant?" Egon asked.

"Whatever he calls himself, his true name is Anatole Vashnivski. He's descended from the Lord of the Manor's mortal bloodline."

Father Portenza brandished his cross. "_Sanctus Dei_" he intoned, causing the Baron to shrink back. Barney used the opportunity to punch the vampire hard, sending him into a wall.

"Watch this!" Barney said, his voice still recognizable if lower and growlier. "The Nightclaw jump kick!!! Awooo!!!" With that, he made a running start and jumped, right leg extended.

The Baron dodged him, and Barney smashed into the wall, becoming buried in the wreckage of it. "Okay...that wasn't what I had in mind.." he muttered.

"Father Portenza, you may tell Lazarus that, if not for this unfortunate incident, I would've gladly funded the renovations..." Vashnivski snarled.

Portenza brandished the cross again; Vashnivski shrunk back, quite angry.

"I'll kill you yet!!!" Kalashnikov--Anatole Vashnivski--howled, lunging for the Baron, brandishing a good, old fashioned wooden stake.

The Baron parried his charge, grabbed him, and hurled him into Father Portenza.

"Now for you, sorceress..." Vashnivski said with quiet promise.

"No!!!" Lilly cried, as Vashnivski advanced on Liz.

"No!!!" Ray Stantz echoed, and fired his pistol.

The proton beam struck Vashnivski in the arm, and he staggered, smoke coming from the wound.

Egon, Winston, and Venkman looked at each other, then fired shots of their own.

The Baron fell back, howling in agony, as the sunlight-mimicking beams did their work.

Chiron shook his head, and gestured with his left hand.

The proton pistols were ripped from the four Ghostbusters' hands, and scattered to the corners of the hall.

Vashnivski shrugged, and pure telekinetic force slammed into the Ghostbusters and Lady Enlightenment, knocking them to the floor. He grabbed the first one he could, which happened to be Egon, and hoisted him by his neck. "How. Dare. You."

"No, Igor."

Vashnivski seemed as surprised as anyone at the quiet force in Chiron's simple words.

"They are not to be killed."

Vashnivski dropped Egon with an annoyed grunt. He went over to the stunned Anatole. "This one...at least..."

"Do with him as you will, Milord." Chiron smirked.

"K..Kalashnikov..." Portenza muttered weakly.

But Baron Igor Vashnivski left, dragging Anatole with him.

* * *

Ray awoke with a horrible ringing in his ears. He had a horrified thought, but after checking his wrist and verifying he still had a pulse, felt better. He looked up to see his friends, Lydia, and the four "Inquisitors" standing nearby, apparently no worse for the wear. Barney had returned to his human form, and was wearing a dirty Captain Steel t-shirt.

"It was Sergei...Anatole..that came to the Church with information about a vampire lord in Romania." Portenza was telling Egon. "We were sent to verify this, and stop the creature if necessary."

"We were merely sent to bodyguard Miss Van Horn. Our employer had apparently heard some of the same rumors."

"I fear we have allowed ourselves to be used in a personal vendetta." Portenza shook his head.

"Will you try again?" Winston asked him.

"That is for my superiors to decide. But I will recommend against it--Baron Vashnivski seems content with his domain, and in the short term poses no threat."

"That would be my assessment also." Egon agreed.

"The Lord of the Manor will be pleased to hear that..." Chiron said as he entered the room they were in. "But you must all be gone from this place before the clock strikes midnight, never to return without his invitation. On that, he is quite resolute."

"Peter, Winston, secure our belongings and those of Miss Van Horn. That doesn't give us much time." Venkman and Winston nodded and moved off.

"By the way, these are yours I believe..." With that, Chiron handed Egon the four proton six shooters.

Lady Enlightenment went over to Ray. "This errand is what I could not talk about...I'm sorry..."

"No problem. I understand..."

With that, she smiled, and kissed him on the cheek. He blushed as she turned and walked away. It was only then that he realized that there was a piece of paper with a phone number in his hand.

"What about Kalash...Anatole?" Portenza asked Chiron.

"Better you not think about that..." Chiron answered cryptically.

* * *

**Epilogue**

* * *

Baron Igor Vashnivski, now in a fresh set of clothing that looked identical to the ruined, blood-soaked set in the battle with the Ghostbusters and "Inquisitors", sat in his chair with a loud sigh. No mean feat, considering that technically he didn't breath anymore... "You really think it was them, Chiron?"

"I do, Igor." the smaller man responded firmly. "I may lack the precognitive gifts of the Forever Swimmer, or the ability to peer through time as the Prima of Chronus, but one sense all of my order have is the ability to sense those connected to the Judgement...or the Ascension."

"So then...you think both are upon us?"

"Yes."

"And which are they, Chiron? Harbingers of the Judgement or the Ascension?"

"Both."

"Both?"

"They are of...or know...the Five Who Are One spoken in the prophesy. That is why I could not allow their destruction."

" (Sigh)...I could use a Thin Mint right about now..."

* * *

Anatole Vashnivski awoke...his head spinning...and...thirsty...so very thirsty...

There was a movement

He pounced, grabbed the source of the movement, ripped it's throat out, and began to drink.

Then he dropped the rabbit in horror.

_Dear God...that Bastard..._ it all came back to him...

_"Most appropriate punishment for your transgression, Anatole..."_...and then he remembered the gleaming fangs that appeared in the Baron's mouth...the pinprick on his neck...he screamed in horror...and then his body was filled with white hot fire...

He pulled himself to his feet. His senses were now more acute...the still bleeding rabbit carcass smelled better right now than the most tantalizing of aromas he'd encountered...

...in his now passed mortal days.

_That bastard Embraced me..._

Anatole Vashnivski ran, his own senses--and ones new and alien to him--told him that the Sun would arise all too soon...

_You will pay for this, Igor Vashnivski..._ he raged to himself. _Because, in your arrogance, you've made one mistake: I have the time now...all the time in the world...the time to plot your demise. At my now cold hands..._

* * *

Disclaimers:  
Some vampiric and werewolf terms and ideas gleefully swiped from White Wolf Games' World of Darkness Version 1, created by Mark Rein•Hagen and others   
Inquistor characters created by Jim Harley  
Nodus, Chiron, Lydia Van Horn created by Fritz Baugh

* * *

#3271-110203u  
021 


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